Shadowed (Unbound, Book 2)

Chapter Fifty One

"I love this place," Maible said as we pulled into the parking lot of Agate Hall, finally sparking back to life after leaving Devland at the Manor.

The parking lot looked like every car in Wickenton had come, it was so full. It took two laps to find an empty stall. Once we parked, climbing out from the backseat was hard. It felt like each limb had been folded and glued in place, and then needed to break bones and realign again to escape. Nobody my height should ever climb into the backseat of a Mustang, not even for the prospect of fun.

Calin rounded the car and Maible stepped aside so he could help me out. He took my hand and pulled, and then held me up with his other arm around my waist until I caught my balance.

"I'm fine, Calin," I said, though I involuntary bunched his shirt in my fist as my right leg sent tingles up to my thigh.

He looked down and smirked. "So if I let you go, you won't fall?"

"I..." My shoulders slumped. "Just one minute. If anyone comes by, you need to step away, okay? I don't want to feed Duvessa ammunition—she's got enough already."

"You're in disguise, Nora," he said, and Maible laughed. "It's like being invisible."

Unless they see my eyes. Then I'm screwed. For one night, I wanted a break from the problems that continued to grow but never faded. But, that was magical thinking, crazier than the reality that actual magic existed. Even if all my questions were answered, my perfect night would never happen. My mother was dead, my father was a monster, and Calin and I couldn't be together unless it remained hidden until Duvessa was neutered.

I stepped away from Calin, wobbling only slightly before regaining my strength completely. Maible and Calin both tried coming to my side, but I waved him away before taking Maible's arm. We started across the parking lot and halfway to the door, I found enough strength to let go of her to walk on my own.

We entered Agate Hall as a trio, with me at the center and Calin and Maible at my sides, but one step behind. Climbing up the stone steps, we passed a group of five girls, all dressed in matching dresses but for the color and identical gold masks. I looked down, watching my feet until the girls couldn't be seen, sure that one of them was Duvessa.

Calin leaned in to whisper in my ear just before we entered the main hall across from the doors. "Forget about everything but having fun, Nora."

It was the last whisper he would get away with, and I didn't bother to acknowledge it with a reply. Coming here, staying long enough to see them be happy, was a distraction. Fun would be later, impossible until something—anything—fixed the problems hovering over my life like a thundercloud waiting to pour down. If I didn't stay on guard, everyone around me would be drenched.

"I'm going to get some punch!" Maible leaned in and pointed to the far left side of the dark room where refreshment tables had been placed. "Do you guys want anything?"

"No," Calin said as I shook my head, looking around.

Straight ahead was a makeshift stage just large enough to host a spikey, pink-haired DJ wearing a black leather jacket, and his equipment. To the right, circular tables were draped with white cloth and floating candles sat as centerpieces for the limited number of non-dancers gracing its chairs. Nobody was set up to take our tickets by the door, and at the center of it all was a packed dance floor.

Calin nodded to the middle of the room. "Want to dance?"

"To a fast song? In these heels?" I lifted my foot and twirled. "I don't think so."

As soon as I put down my foot, the beat of the song stopped vibrating through the floor. My teeth stopped chattering in response and I looked up as Calin smiled. Pulling the purse that I'd refused to sign into the coat check higher onto my shoulder, I used it as an excuse to look away, but no matter how much I wanted it, I couldn't make it stick. Below hooded lids, my gaze found Calin's once more.

"Well, that's five, folks!" the DJ called out. "Time to slow it down. Hopefully you all know it!"

Calin glanced at the DJ and then back to me, and raised his eyebrows. He extended his hand and, without asking for permission, guided me to the dance floor. An old Lifehouse song began to play, slow and rhythmic, but nowhere near as hypnotic as the gaze Calin had locked me in.

"I don't do waltz," I warned.

He smiled and put his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. I hesitated and then rested my hands on his shoulders, unable to wrap them around his neck without losing my purse. With nothing to separate us and a lulling beat to guide our movements, everything else fell away. An interruption wasn't possible because nobody else existed. Just us and the wall of electricity that began between and then circled around our bodies until it separated us from the rest of the dancers.

"This isn't so bad, is it?" Calin asked, his breath whispering against my ear.

"Don't ruin it by talking."

I closed my eyes and rested my cheek on his chest. It was like floating on a cloud, enveloped in silence. My skin hummed, my nerves dead to confliction. Thoughts evaporated. All that was left was us. Calin's smell, his touch, his calm—it all mingled with mine until it merged as one.

Calin began to draw circles on my back with his finger, and I felt my entire body melt in response. No longer resting against him, he became the only thing keeping me from crumbling to the floor, and I was forced to hang on. My hands clasped around his neck.

I opened my eyes, brought back to reality when my purse fell from my hand. Stepping back, I bent at the waist and picked it up, cursing that I needed it when I didn't want it to get in my way. Eager to be back in Calin's arms, I hurried to stand again, but the song ended just as our gazes met, immediately transformed into a fast-paced Katy Perry song that shook the entire room instead of just the floor.

If I asked, Calin would dance slow, but that was demanding to be noticed.

Calin stepped to the side and gestured to the refreshment table without taking his eyes off of me. I smiled at him, holding his gaze for a moment before glancing away. Neither of us wanted it to end, that much I could see, and both would wait eagerly for the next chance we got.

Ducking my head, my chin hit my chest and hid my blush. When I looked back up again, I focused on the tables he pointed to and froze. The heat leaked from my cheeks, the crimson bleeding to white, and my breath caught. My eyes widened and then narrowed, and a shot of anger more consuming than Calin's embrace threatened to cut me down at my knees.

"Nora?"

I ignored him and stomped away as fast as my heels would allow, wishing I could have thought ahead and worn steel-toe boots to start a trend. Those were good for ass-kicking. Calin stayed a step behind, though his curse was audible over the music when we were close enough to the table, and he could see the group of girls we passed when entering the hall standing in a circle.

In the center, two girls were facing off, and one was wearing a familiar red dress.

The others looked up as we approached, but no one kept us from entering. For once, Calin didn't reach out to stop me. I wedged myself between the two girls and snatched the mask Duvessa had taken from Maible—forcibly, if the torn strap of the mask and her messy hair was any indication. Slowly, I removed my mask and shrugged the hair that fell into my face out of my eyes.

"You had to push, didn't you?" I took a step toward Duvessa and she moved back, surprised, and then found the determination to stay still.

"This has nothing to do with you." Duvessa looked down to straighten a fold in her black skirt.

I took another step so that by the time she looked up, we were standing face-to-face. "I know you don't know how to be a friend, but trust me, if you want to be Maible's problem? You've just inherited me instead."